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75th (Mississauga) Battalion, CEF
The 75th (Mississauga) Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was formed on 1 July 1915 and was awarded sixteen battle honours for its service during WW I. It was renamed The Mississauga Regiment in 1920 and The Toronto Scottish Regiment in 1921. Formation and WW I The 75th was formed by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel G. Beckett, who had been trained as a cavalry officer in the 9th Mississauga Horse, a militia regiment at the time. Following training in Niagara and Toronto, the 75th left for overseas on March 29, 1916 and arrived on April 9, 1916. On arrival in England they formed part of the newly created 11th Brigade of the 4th Canadian Division and saw their first action in the trenches in Belgium in August 1916. Within the month, the 75th Battalion was at the Somme and fought with great distinction in the battles at Regina trench and Desire trench. In December, the 75th had been moved to Vimy Ridge where they with the rest of the Canadian Army dug in and waited until the great assault on 9 April 1917. On the night of 1 March 1917, a large phosgene gas raid was undertaken in which the Commanding Officer, LCol Beckett was killed. After 5 months in this sector the war moved further north into France and the 75th saw action in every engagement undertaken by the Canadians. Medical Officer, Captain Bellendan S. Hutcheson was awarded the Victoria Cross for valour at the Drocourt-Quéant Line in September 1918. The battalion had great casualty numbers with over 50 officers and 1000 soldiers killed and thousands more wounded. Sixteen Battle Honours were awarded to the 75th for World War I. Post WW I Between the wars, the 75th Battalion was kept on the order of battle and given a new name – The Mississauga Regiment with effect 1 May 1920. Lieutenant Colonel Colin Harbottle CMG, DSO, VD asked for and was given permission for another name change that being to The Toronto Scottish Regiment with effect 1 September 1921. At that same time affiliation with The London Scottish Regiment, a British territorial unit was granted. The Toronto Scottish adopted the distinctive highland dress of Hodden grey, commonly referred to as the ‘muted heather tones of Scotland.’ In 1937 Queen Elizabeth consented to becoming the Colonel-in-Chief and on her visit to Toronto in May 1939 presented new Colours to the regiment. The Toronto Scottish Regiment is a direct descendant of the 75th (Mississauga) Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1918. The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's Own) currently has its second Company named for the 75th Battalion in Mississauga, Ontario. The Cadet Corps affiliated with the Toronto Scottish Regiment is named the 75th Cadet Corps, RCAC. References *The Reverend Donald R. McKillican, CD Major (Ret'd) The Hodden Grey A Short History of The 75th (Mississauga) Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force World War I and the Toronto Scottish Regiment 1915-1995 Toronto, Ont.: 1995. Category:Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force